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What did you do to your W123 in 2017?

25K views 210 replies 46 participants last post by  frank smith 
#1 ·
Today I pulled her back onto the ramps and jack stands. Once again the transmission is coming out. *sigh*
 
#33 ·
Started the 300CD for the first time in 2017. Temps have been sub 0F at night, and low teens F for daytime Hi's. Today got up just above freezing. Battery was weak from setting in cold, so had to hook up the 200A charger. For some unknown reasion pulled key out if ignition sw, have only removed key several times since I have owned car. Had to use heat gun, and warm up ignition tumbler for about 5 minutes before key would go to start position. Took it for about a 100 mile drive. Roads were wet, but not snow/ice covered. Sure felt good to be back in the W123:smile
 
#34 ·
Mine woke up pissed.

The attempted start at -10 or whatever (ione attempt glowing, didn't even turn over) seemed to have completely drained the battery, so I figured rather than remove the battery outside, I'd just jump it and bring it in. Left it for a few minutes to get some juice, turned the key, waited for the glow and turned it over, it started fast, I thought it as running away, but then it came back down OK, anyone seen that behaviour before?

Oh and I had another damn nest in the engine compartment, and a scared mouse ran thru the hole in the floor once I cranked it over. Sometimes I hate rural living.

Only got that battery in 2016, so any issues I'm taking it back.
 
#38 ·
Get yourself one of those gucci CTEC chargers - or even one of the many fake CTEK type chargers that have electronic controlled "step charging". I bought mine for something daft like 20 euros from a supermarket that doesn't even invest in shelves (everything on pallets) and it has been brilliant in keeping my dying battery alive (so far)
 
#35 ·
Low impact stuff today. Needed to change out the hardened valve cover seal I didn't swap when I recently adjusted valves. Had a Mercedes seal ready to go, so I pulled the valve cover and hit it with a compound wheel. I also took the opportunity to knock the rust and other crud off the air cleaner housing and repaint it. Put a new O ring on the breather drain line fitting on the bottom of the air cleaner housing, too, along with taking the accordion hose and the air scoop out and giving them a good going over with some Simple Green and a brush.

Did the best I could to clean up all the linkages, and hit each of the ball and socket fittings with a drop or two of ATF while I had them apart.

Certainly not concours, but a marked improvement. The new coolant reservoir looks out of place, but the old one was leaking, so it had to go.

Before and after.

Dan
 

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#40 ·
I finally broke down and found a good glass shop to renew the cracked windshield on the 240D. They pulled the ropes, which was something I've not seen yet, although I have studied several versions of the install process. I supplied the gasket and they supplies the glass. They were sensible enough to let me hang out and watch. They even listened when I told them how the aluminum gets removed and installed. After it was complete they laid a good bead of clear silicon RTV under the gasket. I would have spent more time getting the old black goo off, but they got it smooth enough and painted it with some sort of special primer.
 

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#42 ·
Good question. This shop seemed to think the gasket should seal to the body, dry. They installed the gasket onto the window dry and the gasket/window into the car body all dry.

The silicon was a small bead put in between the edge of the gasket where it meets the outside of the glass. You can see the drying silicon at the corner by the state inspection sticker in the photo. I let it dry over night and scribed and removed the excess myself. It wasn't leaking before, but I will certainly keep the forum informed if it ever does.
 

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#44 ·
Drove the 78 CD 350 miles r/t to look at a couple of NA CD parts cars. Both in pretty bad shape, toasted interiors, few dents, need new front windshields, etc. Both had less than 200K on odometer. The 81 had some type of radar/radio controller mounted on bottom of dash just above left knee. It had a Mercedes logo on the face. Was this an option, does it need the original radio to work, it was missing. Both cars were parked in over two feet of snow/ with windows cracked about 3". Did not see any bad signs of rust from what little I could see. Made an offer on what I thought they were worth, Owner did not seem to happy with it. So my search for a better engine for my 78 continues.

If anyone has any input/knowledge of the radar? controller. Please let me know
 
#46 ·
How is the wind noise? I removed the factory cross bars off of my 300TD, due to the wind noise. Mine are missing the black plastic rings that are suppose to eliminate the noise.
 
#47 ·
So I decided at the very end of 2016 that this was the year to finally finish a refresh on my aging '81 280CE.

While I haven't finished it.....yet.....I'm a damn far bit closer than ever!

Here's the before (in green) vs. where it is today (in red)
 

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#54 ·
I pulled her onto the ramps today to replace the speedo cable. Strangest thing: A MB speedo cable doesn't fit onto a MB transmission; the transmission has a square hole while the cable has a much wider rectangular pin. Perhaps this cable was made for auto cars, and the autos use a different speedo cable to the manuals? I'll take pics tomorrow if anyone is interested.

While she was up there, I decided to tighten the lower sump screws. Despite me having tightened them properly after replacing the gasket, I was surprised to find that I could quite comfortably turn each of them between 60° and 90° tighter. Here's hoping this stops the leaking.
 
#55 ·
Perhaps this cable was made for auto cars, and the autos use a different speedo cable to the manuals?
My 82 300D speedo cable fit into the 83 240D Getrag manual perfectly.
 
#56 ·
Winter has finally arrived in Florida - it was a balmy 78F with no humidity as it’s been all week. Wonderful weather to work on the car…

Some background:

PO replaced the master cylinder or booster during his ownership, and while doing so slathered brake fluid down the firewall and under the car as it dripped. This stripped pretty much all of the paint and undercoating on the frame rail and area around the trailing rod joint. This was making me nuts since it’s the only place the car has any visible rust, even if it’s only surface rust and you would have to get on your hands and knees to see it - but I knew it was there….

So I scraped all the loose undercoating off to where it was firmly bonded to the frame and cleaned all around the trailing rod joint mounting. I got one of the “kits” that the POR-15 folks sell for $19.00 on the Amazon and used all the chemicals to properly prep and paint the surface. After it got tacky I sealed it all up with some 3M Professional Grade Rubberized Undercoating. Nice.

While I was under the car and poking around I noticed the belts on the alternator were really loose. Hmm. Power steering belt wasn’t bad, but AC compressor belt was loose, too. Fortunately, this was a job I had anticipated since so much of the rubber and soft parts on this car are tired due to age and lack of use.

So off I went to loosen all the belts and replace them. Arrgh. All I can say is if there was a conversion kit to change an OM617 from V-belts to a serpentine belt, I would be all over it. Luckily I didn’t encounter any issues with the funky alternator adjusting bolt. I got to dig out my Krikit belt tension gauge and put it to work - probably the first time in 15 years I’ve used it. What a great tool.

Lastly, in the middle of the POR-15 stuff since I had to rinse, dry, etc., etc., I prepped and painted my wiper arms as they were pitted and had a little rust and after all was done I installed them with new Bosch wiper blades to replace the (gasp!) Rain-X wiper blades.

Needless to say I took a pre-emptive dose of my 800mg time release ibuprofen. I’m thinking I’ll be paying for this in the morning. Low impact tomorrow, just car washing.

Dan
 
#61 · (Edited)
Replaced the driveshaft center support with my shore-50 polyurethane filled version. Old one was totally shot and would rattle around in 1st and 2nd gear. The center supports typically last me about 5 years, I am hoping this filled version lasts much longer.
But, I found the u-joint has seized bearings in the shaft end. Stupid me tried to move it and now it violently shakes the whole car above 40mph.
There is an 85 300D in the local pull-n-pay and an 80 in the next one over. Hopefully one has a usable shaft....
 

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#64 ·
Just converted over to the standard air cleaner housing from the Cali air cleaner. The hardest part was installing the new oil separator drain pipe! I had to remove the lower oil pan and drive out the closing plug and install the pipe fitting and check valve. Next steps will be to install a set of EGR manifolds (NO ARV VALVE THOUGH!) and retrofit a diesel oxidation catalyst DOWNSTREAM in the exhaust. And yes, this is voluntary, and yes I'm aware I am not a normal human being... ;)
 

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